Five hours into a marathon 8-hour Columbia City Council meeting, Council members moved legislative item B236-13 authorizing a contract to sell real estate to Greg Nauser and Nauser Investments off their Consent Agenda.

The move, which gives the public the opportunity to review and comment, came after a Columbia Heart Beat story criticized the Council for avoiding transparency, and a public outcry ensued. Consent Agenda items, as the name implies, are given automatic approval or consent without public hearings, comments, or further scrutiny. It's a part of the Council's biweekly meeting agenda experts say should be used both wisely and sparingly.

The legislation and the reports accompanying it failed to mentioned Mrs. Nauser's family connection to the contract, and did not include conflict of interest disclosures required by city law.